Band-stretcher



UNITED STATES JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

BAND-STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed August 7, 1918. Serial No. 248,694.

i 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn A. Fmson- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in thecounty of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a band stretcher and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof suliicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin; drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts tnroughout the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for drawing or stretching taut a metal band about a bale or, as here shown, a bundle of garments, whereby to prepare them for shipping purposes.

he band stretcher can be manipulated by one person and embodies a lever having an adjustable arm fulorumed thereto. This arm carries a cam which is adapted to en gage and hold the free end of the band to be stretched. There is also a sliding sleeve mounted upon said lever, which s eeve carries a locking pawl or lever connected to the adjustable arm by a link; The adjustable arm and first mentioned lever can be locked in set position, whereby to hold the band taut until the securing means are applied.

The object will be understood by referring to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bundle of garments pressed between two members, showing the band stretching device applied thereto for the purpose of drawing said hand taut;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a cam or eccentric employed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the end of the adjustable arm employed, showing the cam in assembled position thereon;

Fig. 4- is a perspective view of a lever employed;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a link used;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational-view of a cotter pin employed;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective View of a fulcrum pin employed;

Fi 8 is an enlarged perspective View of a SllC ing sleeve employed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view showing a fragment of the lever employed and a ver tical section of the sliding sleeve mounted thereon together with a pawl fulcrumed to said sleeve.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the band stretcher embodies a lever 1 made out of a hollow piece of tubing. One end of the lever -1 is flattened out at 2 to form a purchase or support part for the lever. The lever 1 has a long narrow slot 3 and an aperture f for the disposition of a pin t which acts as a fulcrum for the adjustable arm 5. The pin l is split at one end whereby the said end will spread normally in order that it may be removably held in the aperture l. The opposite end of the pin P is bent at an angle to form a handle 6.

The adj ustable arm 5 projects through the slot 3 and is equipped with a plurality of holes 7 to provide adjustments of the arm with reference to the lever 1 or of the arm 5 with reference to a link 20 hereinafter mentioned. The free end of the arm 5, whichlies at right angles to the portion of the arm 5 having the holes 7, is tapered at S and has fastened thereto a U shaped bracket 9. The end of the arm 5 is twisted at 10 to form two surfaces at right angles to each other. The sides of the arm 5 are recessed at 1l-11 for the disposition of the sides 1212 of the bracket 9. The sides 12 of the bracket 9 are provided with apertures 1313 for carrying a shaft 14 which forms a bearing for the cam or eccentric 15. The peripheral surface of the cam 15 is fluted or corrugated, whereby to enable it to the more effectively grip the smooth surface of the end 16 of the metal band 33. The cam 15 is turned upon its fulcrum, the shaft 14 by a handle 17 that is secured at one end in a correspondingly formed recess in the cam 15.

The arm 5 is connected by said link 20 with a locking pawl or lever 21 which is fulcrumed to a pin 22 disposed in bearings formed in the ears 2323 of the sliding sleeve 24. The link 20 is bent at right angles at each end and held in place to the arm 5 and the pawl 21 by the cotter pins 25-25.

The lower end of the pawl 21 is rounded off at 26, as best seen in Fig. 9, and is adapted to lie adjacent the surface of the in looking the pawl 21 against further back ward movement.

The band stretcher is used in connection more particularly with a machine for pressing garments into a bale or bundle for shipping purposes. It can be used with any bale pressing machine. When the garments 30 have been pressed between the surfaces of the upper and lower members 31 and 32 respectively of a pressing machine and the metal bands disposed about the bale, which disposition of the bands can be effected while the garments are still under pressure in the machine because of the recesses and 35-35-35 in the members 31 and 32, respectively. One end of the band is inserted through the recess in the clip 36 and then wound upon itself to prevent its escape. The other end of the band 33 is disposed also throughthe recess of the clip 36 and its free end engaged between the end surface of the arm 5 and the fluted surface of the cam 15. 17 of the cam 15 is pushed down then-and held by the finger of the operator to grip the end of the band 33, while the operator uses his other hand to lower the outer end of the lever 1. The opposite or flat end 2 of the lever lengages the lower surface of the member 32', whereby to act as a fulcrum for the lever. Immediately the band has been drawn taut, the operator will slide the sleeve 24 forward on the lever 1 into the dotted line positionillustrated in Fig. 1, whereby to cause the lower end of the pawl 21'to lock against the adjacent surface of the lever -1 and the pin 27 and thereby, through the connection of the link 20, to lock The handle the arm 5 and lever -1 relative to each other, in which position of said parts the lever -l will be rigid and the band 33 held taut. The clip 36 is punched then by a well known instrument, whereby to form the indentations 40 that bind the clip and the ends of the band 33 together for a more permanent lock.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a band stretcher, a lever, an arm pivotally supported by said lever and having an eccentric mounted thereon, said eccentric having a corrugated surface, and a movable sleeve having connection with the lever and the arm for holding the arm in set position, whereby to hold the band in a taut manner.

In a band stretcher, a lever, an adjustable arm pivotally supported by said lever and having an eccentric mounted thereon, and a movable sleeve slidable upon the lever and connected to the arm for holding said arm in set position, whereby to secure the band in a taut manner.

3. In a band stretcher, a lever, an arm pivotally supported by said lever and having a cam mounted thereon, a sleeve mounted to slide upon said lever, and a link connecting said sliding sleeve with said arm, whereby the arm can be locked in set position relative to the lever to hold the band in a taut manner.

4;. In a band stretcher, a lever, an arm pivotally supported by said lever and having a cam mounted thereon, a sleeve mounted to slide upon said lever, another lever fulcrumed to said sleeve, and a link connecting said second named lever with said arm,

whereby the arm can be locked in set position relative to the lever to hold the band in a taut manner.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING. 

